For the longest time, it looked like it was going to be another tough night for 76ers guard Evan Turner. Missed shots, turnovers, and missed opportunities that brought memories of mistakes he made in Saturday night’s 92-91 loss to the Celtics in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference semifinal playoff series.

But then in the final hectic moments of another close encounter with the Celtics, Turner was everywhere. Or it just seemed like that as he came up with a steal, an almost routine short-range jumper, and then an anything-but-routine driving layup in the final minute. Turner also made two clutch free throws with 12 seconds left that greatly aided the Sixers’ 82-81 victory at TD Garden, which evened the series and gave Philadelphia a much-needed confidence boost.

For Turner, who had 16 points and 10 rebounds Saturday night but also had as many turnovers (4) as he did steals, Monday night there was the satisfaction of scoring 6 of his 10 points in a fourth quarter in which the Sixers started with an 8-point lead, gave it away, but then took it back in the final seconds.

Meanwhile, Pierce may not be an offensive factor in this series. Iguodala is one of the game’s top defenders and against a wobbly Pierce, he is even more effective. The Celtics tried to work Pierce into the offense down the stretch and he couldn’t deliver. He was 0-for-4 shooting with 2 points in the second half, when the Celtics only needed one final push to prevail.

“[They] are who we thought they are,’’ Pierce said, channeling his inner Dennis Green. “They are a tough defensive team, they grind it out defensively, they try the fast break and they’re not going to give in. They have a good coach over there who installs his mentality into his players so nothing is surprising, they are what we expected them to be.’’